What Never Changes

Conversations on Non-Duality

Nama Rupa Thinks It's Me

October 21, 2018

Nama rupa apparently thinks it is me. It calls itself “I.”

Let me define “nama rupa” before I go on. Nama rupa literally means “name and form” in Sanskrit, and is used in Vedanta to illustrate that all this which appears as “world” is nothing other than Brahman – pure non-dual essence – appearing to mind as forms that we have given names to. The form really means nothing without the name, and likewise the name means nothing without the form. It is all simply one substance appearing as a plurality. This trickery is the wonderful illusion that makes up our apparent experience of a world.

All interaction is just one nama rupa interacting with another nama rupa. The mind (also nama rupa) makes a world and a life out of these interactions. And I, pure non-dual essence, am – timeless, formless, nameless. I alone am.

This nama rupa is just what it is. Other nama rupas are just what they are. They seem to interact with each other. Interactions have nothing to do with me. All nama rupas are illumined by me, and therefore there can be no “other,” no object of love or hate or fear, no independent thoughts or actions “out there” that are threatening to me. All apparent others are me, with names and forms.

This makes the whole idea of transacting so much easier. There isn’t any real transacting. The names and forms are here for transaction, but they are fictional and here only for that purpose, not for any transcendent purpose.

I just am, being without form. So when this form goes about its day today, there will just be nama rupas interacting. I don't have anything to do with any of that. It's fine. However they act, including this one, is not my concern. This one doesn't need anything at all. It's only a nama rupa, why should it need anything?

When referring to the body/mind – this programmed nama rupa who seems to think it is the real me – using “I” is not correct. When I say “I,” it is not referring to the nama rupa. It only means this transcendent one.

Who’s doing this (any action)? Is this me doing this? Or is that nama rupa, and I am looking on?

Who is having this thought? Is this me having this thought? Or is it nama rupa, and I am looking on?

Nama rupa is enjoying sitting by the fire with a cup of tea. I look on. I am not the enjoyer of that, and it’s not at all important that nama rupa enjoys that, because enjoyment comes and goes all the time.

Enjoyment of senses isn’t something that I need. Nama rupa has enjoyment sometimes and sometimes not; sometimes it’s repulsion of what’s coming in through the senses. But either way, it’s not something I need to enjoy, or need to avoid.

The nama rupa apparently thinks it is me. So here in this nama rupa apparent world, it seems that “I” refers to this nama rupa. And all the problems come from that one mistake alone.

When I say “I,” it’s not nama rupa – it’s ME! That “I” refers to me, the one essence, resolver of all problems and worries.

“I” is me.

“I” am this illuminer, untouched, unbroken, unchanging. The entire world and universe and all the bodies depend on me. All the nama rupas depend on me for their being.

I am even the illuminer of Maya!

So if I am mindful of the tendency of this nama rupa to claim “I” as itself, just noticing this, slowly it will dawn that it is quite impossible for a name and form appearing in me, witnessing consciousness, to be anything other than a small and unreliable reflection of my true glory, my non-dual essence.